Device for killing insects.



W. I. DIEDRICH.

DEVICE FOR KILLING INSECTS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG- I6, 1915.

1 178, 1 39. Patented Apr. 4;, 1916.

W- J. DIEDRWI'I WILLIAM J'. DIEDRICH, 0F WAUKESHA, WISCONSIN.

v DEVICE FOR KILLING INSECTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 16-, 1915. Serial No. 45,784.

. To all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, WILLIAM J. DIEDRICH, acitizen of the United States, residing at Waukesha, in the county ofWaukesha and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for Killing Insects, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings;

This invention relates to an improved 1nsect killing device and has forits primary object to provide a simple and effective means for killingflies and like insects, the device being so constructed as to eliminatethe necessity of swinging the arm, in order to strike the fly with theimplement.

It is more particularly the object of the invention to provide a devicefor the above purpose, embodying a handle member having a spring pressedpivoted hammer mounted therein, a flexible steel blade fixed at one endto the hammer and provided upon its other end with a wire screen plate,and means for causing a rapid vibration of said steel blade, when thehammer is released.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide a fly killingdevice which is .in the form of a toy pistol and will, therefore, afforda certain degree of amusement to juveniles, the device as a wholebeingexceedingly simple in its construction and, therefore, capable ofmanufacture at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists in thenovel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts tobe hereinafter more fully described, claimed, and illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the manner of using myinvention: Fig.. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a slightly modified form of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing, 5 designates the handle which is inthe form of the handle usually provided upon cap pis-. tols and thelike. This handle is of hollow construction and, in the top wall of thesame, adjacent to itsforward end, a slot 6 is formed, through which thehead of the hammer 7 projects. This hammer head normally extendslongitudinally of the slot 6 and, at its forward end, a recess 8 isformed in thelower face thereof to receive the longitudinally projectingshoulder 9, at the forward end of the slot 6. -The hammer 7 is plvotallymounted upon a transverse pin 10 fixed at its ends in the opposite sidewalls of the handle 5 and the shank 11 of said hammer extends throughthe hollow handle and pro ects outwardly through a longitudinal 311M512formed in the lower wall of the han- The forward end of the head of thehammer 7 is provided with a' kerf or slot, in

which one'end of the flexible steel spring plate 13 is fixed. To theother or free end of this spring plate, the wire screen head 14 issecured, said screen head being normally disposed in spaced relation tothe forward end of the handle 5.

The hammer 7 is held in its normal position by means of a leaf spring15, arranged within the hollow handle 5. One end of this leaf spring isengaged against an internal lug 16 formed upon the butt end of thehollow handle. The spring extends longitudlnally within the handle andover a pin 17, WhICh is spaced from the lug 16, said sprlng bearingagainst the opposite side of the pin, with respect to the side of thelug wh ch is engaged by the extremity of the sprlng. The other end ofthe leaf spring 15 bears against a shoulder 18 formed upon the head ofthe hammer 7. It will be understood from this construction that when thehammer 7 is drawn back to the position shown 1n Fig. 1, so that thespring plate 13 1s dlsposed in an approximately vertical posltlon, thefree end of the leaf spring 15 is forced downwardly and said spring isplaced under tension. Upon the release of the hammer the spring 15 actsto throw the hammer head and the spring plate 13 downwardly andviolently engage the wire screen head 14 on the free end of the spring,upon the fly or other insect.

For the purpose of causing a snapping or vibration of the spring plate13, I provide on the top wall of the hollow handle 5, at its forwardend, a raised flange or lug 19, with which said spring plate contacts.

In the use of the device as above described, the operator securelygrasps the handle 5 in one hand and with the thumb draws back the hammerhead 7, thereby placing the spring 15 under tension, as above explained.When the device has been properly located with respect to the fly orother insect which Patented Apr. 41, 19145.

downwardly and upon the fly, thereby killing the same. It will beobserved that by means of my device, swinging movements of the arm,which are required in all ordinary devices heretofore provided for thispurpose, are rendered unnecessary so that the fly 1s given no warning ofthe approaching danger or otherwise frightened away. The invention will,therefore, be very reliable and effective in practical use.

In Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form of thedevice, wherein the use of the pivoted spring pressed hammer isdispensed with and the flexible steel spring plate 13' is fixed at oneof its ends, directly to the handle member 5. The forward end of thismember is in spaced relation to the fixed end of the spring plate and isprovided with a raised flange or rib 19', in the same manner as in thepreferred embodiment of the invention. In the use of this latterconstruction, the operator grasps the handle 5' in one hand and, withthe finger of the other hand, raises the outer free end portion of thespring plate 13. When the wire mesh head on the end of said spring hasbeen disposed over the fly, the spring plate is released so that uponits return to normal position, the wire head will be engaged upon theinsect with sufiicient force to kill the same.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawing, the construction and manner of operation of theseveral described embodiments of my invention, will be clearly and fullyunderstood. Both constructions are quite simple, may be easily andquickly operated and provide effective and reliable means for killingthe insects. It will be understood that the wire mesh head on the freeend of the flexible spring plate may be of any desired size or shape.When the spring plate loses its resiliency, a new one may be readilyattached to the pivoted hammer head or to the handle 5'. While I havedisclosed what I believe to be the simplest mounting and arrangement ofthe pivoted hammer and the spring. for operating the same, it is to beborne in mind that such features of the device may be conon one end, anda flexible spring plate carried by said handle and projecting over saidrib and beyond the forward end of the handle, the forward extremity ofsaid' plate having a striking head fixed thereon, said spring platebeing adapted for engagement upon said upstanding rib, whereby the plateis caused to vibrate.

2. In a device of the character described, a handle member, a pivotedspring pressed hammer mounted in said handle member, and a flexiblespring plate fixed at one end to the hammer and projecting beyond theforward end of the handle, said spring plate hazing a striking headfixed upon its free on 3. In a device of the character described, ahandle, a spring pressed hammer mounted in the handle, a flexible steelplate fixed .at one of its ends to the hammer, plate normally extendinglongitudinally of the handle and projecting beyond the forward endthereof, a strikinghead fixed upon the free end of said spring plate,said plate being adapted to be raised to an approximately verticalposition, when the hammer is cocked, and an upstanding rib formed on theforward end of the handle with which said spring plate is adapted toengage, when the hammer is released, whereby said plate is vibrated. 1

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

WILLIAM J. DIEDRICH." Witnesses:

ALBERT N. CooMBs, HELEN L. COUNSELL.

said spring

